


Breathe Me In

by Pinkgrasshopper



Category: Free!
Genre: Drabble, Established Relationship, Hurt/Comfort, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-11-25
Updated: 2013-11-25
Packaged: 2018-01-02 13:53:41
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 370
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1057560
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Pinkgrasshopper/pseuds/Pinkgrasshopper
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"That nightmare again, huh?"</p>
            </blockquote>





	Breathe Me In

"That nightmare again, huh?"

Droplets of cold sweat ran down his forehead when Rei turned around to meet the face behind that voice, purple stumbling upon a single red eye cracked open before looking away. How long had Rin been staring at him from over his shoulder like that, he wondered.

"It’s—" Rei parted his lips with a lie in mind, but the glare he got in return made him choose otherwise. "It is fine now. Don’t worry about it."

The scoff Rin gave him had a very clear message in underlying tones of annoyance - he couldn’t simply not worry about it, that was not how caring for someone worked - and by the time he shifted in bed and tucked an arm under his head, his eyes seemed a little more alert, as though ready to inspect any other less than honest attempts from Rei.

"Was I in it this time?"

"No," There were no long pauses or awkward silences before Rei’s answer, but only because it was an easy truth. "And you haven’t, for months."

"Good."

No words were exchanged or even thought of for a moment - they never came easy, when it came to this one particular topic - but the truth was, there was no need for them. Instead, Rin wrapped his free arm around Rei’s figure and pulled him closer in a single motion, a blue-haired crown fitting almost perfectly against the crook of his neck.

"Rin-san?"

"Yeah?"

"I can’t breathe."

"At least it’s for a better reason, now."

It still hurt them both to talk about these nightmares, to think of what it really meant to be plagued by images of Rin pushing his former rival into deep waters and grabbing him by the neck until his very last gasp for air— fragments of their subconscious, memories of the mutual jealousy that was once the only bond between the two. But as Rei buried his head in the other boy’s chest, as he took in his scent and warmth and touch, he knew those issues were far behind them.

Rei knew there was no reason to fear the illusion of death by Rin’s hands; he could simply drown in the reality of all that was him.


End file.
